Safe in Iceland

Iceland is the world's most peaceful country according to the Global Peace Index 2011. There is minimum risk is almost all categories, including the one addressing the degree to which political instituions are sufficiently stable to support the needs of its citizens, businesses and overseas investors. The GPI ranks Independent countries by their ‘absence of violence’ using metrics that combine both internal and external factors.

The Institute for Economics and Peace, in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit and with the guidance of an international team of academics and peace experts, has compiled the Global Peace Index (GPI). The Index is composed of 23 indicators, ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights.

The index has been tested against a range of potential “drivers” or determinants of peace—including levels of democracy and transparency, education and national wellbeing. The team has used the latest available figures from a wide range of respected sources, including the International Institute of Strategic Studies, The World Bank, various UN offices and Peace Institutes and the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Global Peace Index is intended to contribute significantly to the public debate on peace.